THE FIRST FAMILY: Betty Ford: Facing Cancer

Gerald Ford was deep in
preparations for the last of his series of economic summits Thursday
morning when his wife Betty stopped in at the Bethesda Naval Medical
Center in nearby Maryland for a routine medical checkup. The
examination soon developed into a searing personal and family concern.
There was a nodule in her right breast. To determine if it was
malignant, an operation would be necessary. The Fords wasted no time
deciding: Betty would return late the next day to prepare for the
exploratory surgeryand the answer that every woman fears....